The return of the puddles! Some thoughts on the benefits of being older. Foreigners. And Banksy.

It took a couple of weeks of dry and sometimes sunny, sometimes even hot weather for the bridle paths to dry out. It took one night of rain for a fair few of the puddles to return, not quite to their former muddy glory, but definitely making a comeback. I went to sleep last night to the sound of rain on the roof, quite a soothing sound, and this morning I ran in drizzle. The sun has tried to come out but it’s not been very successful so far.

Occasionally, when lunching with old friends, I reflect on how fortunate we are to be able to enjoy our old age - trying hard not to become the kind of old folk who begin their conversations by swapping lists of their various ailments, aches and pains, medications and so on. According to this article a comfortable retirement may become a thing of the past. Not that it is all that comfortable for quite a lot of people my age: people whose employment didn’t have a decent pension scheme, or women who were persuaded at some point that it was a good idea to pay only half the National Insurance payment. I just checked that last online, in case I had misremembered. Until 1977 it was possible for married women to pay a reduced rate. Some who opted to do so may have continued to pay what they called the “small stamp”, even after the scheme ended. As a consequence they may be in receipt of a reduced state pension. 

Here’s an extract from the article I linked to above: 

“Retirement in Britain has a surprisingly short history, underpinned by dramatic improvements in older people’s quality of life over the past 50 years. Large public and private bureaucracies first started to enrol long-serving employees into pension schemes from the mid-19th century. In 1909, Britain was the first country to pioneer an old age pension, funded by the state and targeting the poorest, who could claim it from the age of 70. But it was only after the second world war that a period of leisured old age become an ordinary expectation for most British workers.”

Presumably before there were pensions old people had to depend on the kindness of their family or ended up, like an old couple described by Laurie Lee in Cider with Rosie, in the grimness of the workhouse. It is interesting that when the old age pension was first introduced it could be claimed at the age of 70. Things improved. I was able to receive mine at the age 60, feeling rather guilty as I was still in full-time employment. Similarly, I received my first free bus pass at 60. Now, however, the qualifying age for both the state pension and the free bus pass has been gradually increasing.

Here’s a comment on attitudes towards foreigners/ refugees/asylum seekers, a response to something Mr Farage said:

And here’s a picture of a Banksy statue, with annotations. I wasn’t aware he did statues. And how did he manage to erect it overnight?

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!